Elastic shoe lace and catch therefor



March 8, 1932. |AMP| 1,848,318

ELASTIC SHOE LACE AND CATCH THEREFOR Filed Feb. 27, 1931 awuemtoz 6/0775 C/bmp/ 33%;; his Gum/" g I Patented Mar. 8, 1932 I ero'rro mum, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

ELASTIC SHOE LACE AND CATCH THEREFOR Application filed February 27, 1931. Serial No. 518,734.

This invention relates to an elastic shoe lace of the type which when once placed in the shoe, need not be removed again either when putting the shoe on or taking it oii. It is especially adapted for low shoes. The shoe lace used in my invention is elastic or resili'ent, so that when the foot is forced into the shoe or taken out, the'lace stretches to accommodate the foot. The lace, which is provided with a fixed catch at one end, is threaded through the shoe eyelets, the fixed catch engaging with one of the lowermost eyelets. lVhen the tip of the lace has been passed through one of the topmost eyelets my catch is placed on the lace just below the tip, and the lace is then permanently held in the shoe.

My catch is of such construction that it can be readily slipped onto the lace without the necessity of having the tip passed through it.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon further study of the description and drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the lace shown removed from the shoe but with the removable catch in place upon it.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the lace.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the lace in operative position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the removable catch shown in position on the lace.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the removable catch.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 77 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line 66 of Fig. 5.

The lace 8 is preferably formed with a number of rubber strands 9 (Fig. 2) which are encased in a braided cotton or silk tube 10. Permanently clipped upon the lower end of lace 8 is a catch 11. The other end of the lace is provided with a tip 12.

The lace is placed in the shoe by threadlng tip 12 through one of the lowermost eyelets of the shoe and then weaving said t1p on upwards through the rest of the eyelets until it is brought out through one of the topmost eyelets. Tip 12 is introduced through the lower eyelet so that fixed catch 11 is on the inside of the shoe. The weaving through the rest of the eyelets is so done that the tip passes inward through the last eyelet at the top. As the lace is brought through the last eyelet, it is stretched and removable catch 13 is slipped thereon just inside said eyelet.

Removable catch 13 is preferably a sheet metal disc generally flat except at the center Where it is provided with a crater 14 projecting upwardly from the general level and having the form of a truncated cone. Crater 14 1s provided with an opening 15. A slot 16 extends from the outer circumference of catch 13 to the central opening 15, said slot being Wider near said outer circumference than at its junction with opening 15.

Catch 13 is slipped upon the stretched lace by allowing said lace to pass through slot 16 and forcing said lace to pass through the narrow portion of the slot into opening 15. Crater 14 increases the 'bunching eflect upon the lace when released from stretched condition over what would be the case if a disc flat at the center were used. This bunching effect can be seen at 17 in Fig. 4; and is what 7 looks the lace from being pulled axially out of the catch.

The use of the slot makes it easy to slip on the catch, far easier than if the lace had to be threaded through a plain hole in the catch. It has the further advantage that tip 12 can be substantial and have plenty of body to it. It may even be stiff. Said tip is preferably made substantial so that it is easy to putthe lace through the eyelets. A sub- '85 stantial tip cannot readily be threaded through a plain hole in the catch and still have the hole small enough to prevent the lace from being pulled out of the catch. The use of a slot permits the lace to have any desired size or type of tip, as with it, the tip does not have to pass through the catch when placing said catch upon the lace.

I claim 1. A catch for holding an elastic shoe lace 9 in position in a shoe comprising a substantially fiat disc with a crater projecting upwardly from it, said crater being in the form of a truncated cone, said disc having aslot extending in from its outer edge to join with 35 in position in a shoe comprising a plate with an opening provided in the crater, said slot and opening enabling the catch to be mounted upon the lace.

2. A catch for holding an elastic shoe lace in Bosition in a shoe comprising a substantia flat plate with a crater projecting upwar ly from it, said plate having a slot extending in from its outer edge and joining with an opening provided in the crater, said slot and opening enabling the catch to be mounted upon the lace.

8. A catch for holding in a shoe. with eyelets, an elastic shoe lace having a substantial tip at one end, said catch beingprovided with a slot for slipping it over said lace between said tip and one of said eyelets when the tip end of said lace is stretched past said eyelet, said catch having an upstanding crater with an opening therein joining up with said slot, said crater when set upon the lace with its small end toward the tip causing a bunching of said lace when released at the t? of the crater.

4. catch for holding an elastic shoe lace in position in a shoe comprising a plate with a crater projecting outwardly from it, said plate having a slot extending in from its outer edge and joining with an opening provided in the crater, said slot and opening enabling the catch to be mounted upon the lace with the lace passing through the crater, said slot being narrower at its junction with the crater than at the outer edge of the plate.

5. A catch for holding an elastic shoe lace a crater projecting outwardly from it, said plate having a slot extending in from its outer edge and joining with an opening provided in the crater, said slot and opening enabling the catch to be mounted upon the lace with the lace passing through the erater, the opening in the crater being less in diameter than that of the lace in unstretched condition.

GIOTTO CIAMPI. 

